Curcuma plant named &#39;CURGERO&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Curcuma  plant named ‘Curgero’, characterized by its upright and columnar plant habit with outwardly arching leaves; freely clumping growth habit; leaves with dark greyed purple-colored midveins; freely flowering habit; and flowers with light yellow green-colored flower bracts and orange red-colored apices that are positioned just above the foliar plane on strong and erect peduncles.

Botanical designation: Curcuma alismatifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘CURGERO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Curcuma plant, botanically known as Curcuma alismatifolia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Curgero’.

The new Curcuma plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Curcumas that have uniform plant habit, good container performance and attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Curcuma plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2011 in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Curcuma alismatifolia identified as code number 20061902-025, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Curcuma alismatifolia identified as code number 20082091-011, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Curcuma plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in June, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Curcuma plant by axillary meristem culture in a controlled environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands since February, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Curcuma plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Curcuma have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Curgero’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Curgero’ as a new and distinct Curcuma plant:

-   -   1. Upright and columnar plant habit with outwardly arching         leaves.     -   2. Freely clumping growth habit.     -   3. Leaves with dark greyed purple-colored midveins.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Flowers with light yellow green-colored flower bracts and         orange red-colored apices that are positioned just above the         foliar plane on strong and erect peduncles.

Plants of the new Curcuma differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Curcuma are taller than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Curcuma and the female parent selection         differ in flower bract color as flower bracts of plants of the         female parent selection are white in color.

Plants of the new Curcuma differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Curcuma and the male parent selection         differ in leaf color as plants of the male parent selection have         leaves with green-colored midveins.     -   2. Plants of the new Curcuma and the male parent selection         differ in flower bract color as plants of the male parent         selection have light pink-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Curcuma can also be compared to plants of Curcuma alismatifolia ‘Curfroyel’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Curcuma differ from plants of ‘Curfroyel’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1 Plants of the new Curcuma are shorter than plants of         ‘Curfroyel’.     -   2. Plants of the new Curcuma and ‘Curfroyel’ differ in leaf         color as plants of ‘Curfroyel’ have leaves with green-colored         midveins.     -   3. Plants of the new Curcuma have larger flower bract apices         than plants of ‘Curfroyel’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Curcuma showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Curcuma plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Curgero’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Curgero’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and summer in 17-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Curcuma production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 22° C. to 28° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels averaged 55 kilolux. Plants were 19 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Curcuma alismatifolia ‘Curgero’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Curcuma             alismatifolia identified as code number 20061902-025, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Curcuma             alismatifolia identified as code number 20082091-011, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By axillary meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at temperatures about             23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 28 to 30 days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and columnar plant habit             with outwardly arching leaves; freely clumping habit with             about 17 basal shoots forming per plant; moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About             55.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 54.5 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length, fully expanded.—About 51.4 cm.         -   Width, fully expanded.—About 5.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Sheathing.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Venation.—Parallel.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright, then about 45° from vertical.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; matte.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             143C and 144B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to between 137B and NN137D; midvein, close to N186C;             secondary venation, close to between 137B and NN137D. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to NN137D; venation,             close to NN137D.         -   Leaf sheaths.—Length: About 14.3 cm. Width: About 1 cm.             Height: About 1.2 cm. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color,             upper surface: Close to 143C; at the edges, close to 145B;             venation, close to 143A. Color, lower surface: Close to             143A; at the edges, close to 145B; venation, close to 143A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Dense and upright terminal spike inflorescences             developing directly from the basal shoots with numerous             showy flower bracts; typically each spike with about nine             clusters each with three flowers; about 145 flowers             developing per plant.         -   Time to flower.—In The Netherlands, plants flower from             spring into autumn; flowering continuous during this period;             plants begin flowering about 13 to 17 weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three days on the             plant; flowers not persistent; plants maintain good             substance for about 40 days.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; sweet and somewhat spicy.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Shape: Spatulate to oblanceolate. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to N155A; towards the             apex, tinged with close to 90D.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 14.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Flowers.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm by             2.1 cm. Shape: Zygomorphic with three petals fused towards             the base; dorsal petal (labellum) is conspicuous and two             smaller lateral petals; calyx with three sepals fused at the             base.         -   Petals.—Length, dorsal petal: About 4 cm. Length, lateral             petals: About 3.8 cm. Width, dorsal petal: About 1.6 cm.             Width, lateral petals: About 8 mm. Shape, dorsal petal:             Spatulate with praemorse apex. Shape, lateral petals:             Narrowly obovate with obtuse and recurved apex. Texture and             luster, all petals, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Texture and luster, all petals, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: When opening, dorsal             petal, upper surface: Close to N82A fading towards the base             to close to N155A; central stripe, close to 17A. When             opening, lateral petals, upper surface: Close to NN155D.             When opening, dorsal petal, lower surface: Close to 85C to             85D fading towards the base to close to N155A; towards the             apex and edges, close to N82A and N82B. When opening,             lateral petals, lower surface: Close to NN155D. Fully             opened, dorsal petal, upper surface: Close to N82A fading             towards the base to close to N155A; towards the margins,             close to N82B; central stripe, close to 17A; color becoming             closer to N79A fading towards the base to close to 158B to             158D with development. Fully opened, lateral petals, upper             surface: Close to NN155D; color becoming closer to 158B to             158D with development. Fully opened, dorsal petal, lower             surface: Close to 85C to 85D fading towards the base to             close to N155A; towards the apex and edges, close to N82A             and N82B; color becoming closer to N79A fading towards the             base to close to 158B to 158D with development. Fully             opened, lateral petals, lower surface: Close to NN155D;             color becoming closer to 158B to 158D with development.         -   Sepals.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape:             Narrowly obovate with obtuse and recurved apex. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             NN155D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             NN155D.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity: About eleven upper bracts and about             nine lower bracts per inflorescence. Length, upper bracts:             About 7.5 cm. Width, upper bracts: About 4.1 cm. Length,             lower bracts: About 3.7 cm. Width, upper bracts: About             4.3 cm. Shape, upper bracts: Ovate. Shape, lower bracts:             Broadly obovate; strongly concave. Apex, upper bracts:             Acute. Apex, lower bracts: Obtuse. Base, all bracts: Fused.             Margin, upper bracts: Entire. Margin, lower bracts: Entire;             undulate. Texture and luster, upper bracts, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and             luster, lower bracts, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately glossy. Color: Upper bracts, upper             surface: Close to 145C; towards the apex, strongly tinged             with close to 35B to 35C. Lower bracts, upper surface: Close             to 146B. Upper bracts, lower surface: Close to 145B; towards             the apex, strongly tinged with close to 35B to 35C; main             vein, distally, close to 148A. Lower bracts, lower surface:             Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 40.3 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately glossy. Angle: Upright, erect. Color: Close to             143A.         -   Stamens.—Quantity: Two per flower. Filament length: About             1.2 cm. Filament diameter: About 3.5 mm. Filament color:             Close to NN155D. Anther length: About 5 mm. Anther width:             About 1 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther color:             Close to 155A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 155C.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             3.2 cm. Style length: About 3 cm. Style color: Close to             NN155D. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to NN155D. Ovary color:             Close to 144C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Curcuma to date. -   Disease & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Curcuma have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Curcuma. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Curcuma have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about     40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Curcuma plant named ‘Curgero’ as illustrated and described. 